Love Beneath the Surface
by GuardianSaint
Summary: When Simba finds an abandoned cub while patrolling, he wasn't prepared for the journey that will come along. He adopts the cub not knowing that his adopted daughter will mean so much more in the future. What happens when old friends return as well as new drama. Will the king be able to handle the hurdles that will be thrown before him as a new enemy rises from the ashes.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I'm not sure where I got the idea, but I was on YouTube and seen a bunch of Simba/Kiara videos. Before we begin, remember to leave a review. Thank you, enjoy!**

The cool rain poured down from the grey skies, damping his golden pelt. But that was the least of his problems. It's been a five months since he came back and defeated his uncle, it's been hard after finding out that he wasn't the reason why his father wasn't here but his own uncle's fault. He wouldn't of came back if it wasn't for his best friend, Nala. But after the fight she left, she along with three of their friends left. He couldn't stop her even if he wanted to, he loved her but it wasn't enough. It has nothing to do with the fact that they are cousins, but it was her desscion to leave. Her mother left along with her, ashamed that she mated with a murderer. He had nothing against Sarafina and Nala, they were not Scar and had no idea. But they left regardless of the new king's reassurance or the fact that his aunt who mated with his deceased uncle stayed with their daughter. Now that his bethrole was no longer available, he had to seek out a lioness to bare his heir and be his queen. But many of the lionesses were around his mother's age, or some where near it. The few lionesses that are around his age wasn't what he needed. With a heavy sigh, he lowered his head, this was a lot to take in and he needed to make his kingly rounds. With a deep breath, he stood and headed down the rocky slope.

It was still early in the morning, his pride wasn't even up. The little amount of animals that returned was starting their day, the herds grazing on the newly growing grass. His mother said in about seven months the Pridelands will return to it's beautiful state. Another heavy sigh left his muzzle at the thought of his mother, she was forced to bare his uncle's cub. A month before he came back, she gave birth to a female cub, Furhara. He shook his head and focused on the task. He was near the Zuberi river when a small cry of pain reached his ears. They flickered before he turned and walked towards the bank. What he saw made his orange eyes widen, he moved closer and sniffed it. Sure enough, it was a cub. He took a paw and wiped away some of the dirt, the cub looked up with fearful dark orange eyes.

"It's okay. What's your name?"

"Anfri..." the cub replied softly.

The cub was a female, but that wasn't the reason why he scrunched up his nose in disgust. Who would name their daughter, disgrace? With a shaky breath he bend down and got eye level. "Where's your parents?"

Anfri looked away, the dirt that clung to her fur started to fall. The young king could see freshly given wounds, claw marks in her side and a wound on her muzzle. "They don't want me. At least my father doesn't...he threw me in the river."

He looked up as thunder roared, the rain had eased but now started again. He couldn't leave the cub out her, she'll die. Blinking his own eyes to get rid of clinging water, he grabbed the cub and bolted towards his home, Priderock.

-O-

Thunder roared as lionesses entered the den. The former queen watched the lionesses settle down before casting her orange eyes towards the den entrance. She let a heavy sigh leave her light beige muzzle, she knew she shouldn't be worried about her son but he has never been gone this long before.

"Sarabi."

The dark beige lioness looked from the entrance to the direction of the voice to see a light beige lioness looking at her with knowing golden eyes. "I know what you're going to say, Naanda and I..."

"Mom!"

Sarabi and Naanda looked from one another to the entrance as a teen pale tan lioness ran in. Her red eyes wide as she came to a stop in front of the two older lionesses. By this time a young creamy orange -tan lioness walked over with a light brown lioness.

"What's going on, Zira?" the creamy orange -tan lioness.

The pale tan lioness took deep breaths before replying. "Simba is back! But he has a cub with him."

The lionesses around shared concerned looks before looking towards the entrance just as a shadow figure appeared.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Thanks Almondbutter, OutsidersUnited for the reviews and those who favored and followed. To who is Anfri's father, that won't be revealed into later. Now without further ado, here's the next chapter, enjoy!**

Simba entered the den and shook his drenched mane. He felt eyes on him him but ignored it, he gently placed the soaked golden orange cub on the royal platform. Anfri had fallen asleep on the way here, he couldn't blame her. By the way he found her, and the fact that she was thrown into one the roughest river on this side of Africa. A low snarl left his chestnut muzzle, if he ever saw that low life, he will give that no good basted that hurt Anfri a piece of his mind.

"Simba..?"

The golden lion looked from the sleeping cub to see his mother, along with his aunt and a few other lionesses looking at him. Their eyes moving from him to the sleeping cub. The dark beige lioness finally tour her own orange eyes from the golden orange cub to her son.

"Simba, who's cub is that?"

Simba sat and shrugged his large shoulders. "I'm not sure but I'm not giving her back."

Naanda frowned at her nephew. "Simba, you can't keep a cub that's not yours."

A determined look formed as he gazed at Anfri. "She has been abused and if I send her back...her father will do it again if not kill her." he looked up with narrowed eyes. "She was named Anfri, for crying out loud!"

A soft sob caused Simba and the others to turn towards the platform, the golden orange cub was sitting up. Her ears were folded back, her head was low, as tears fell from her dark orange eyes. "Please don't send me back. My dad said he'll kill me if I come back."

"Don't worry, dear. We won't send you back." Sarabi said gently, "Do you want to stay here?"

Anfri sniffed up her tears before looking at the golden lion that was sitting nearby. "If you would have me..."

Simba smiled down at the young cub. "Of course. I wouldn't send you back." he then sighed. "But I'm afraid in order for you to be a princess, we have to change your name."

The small cub gulped before looking with adorably wide dark orange eyes. "P-princess?"

The young king chuckled before getting eye level. "What do you think of Ufisa?"

Anfri shook her head, it's not that she doesn't like the name that the king suggested. It's just that whenever her father wasn't around, her father and uncles called her a different name. "Um...what about Kiara?"

Simba seemed to brighten at the suggestion. Kiara. Why didn't he think of that? He shook his head before nuzzling the cub, who giggled. "Kiara it is."

Sarabi watched the two for the longest time. Until Kiara fell asleep, she left to inform the pride of the situation. That the Pridelands has gotten a new princess.

-O-

Kiara watched from a far as the cubs in her father's pride chase one another around the water hole. It's been a few weeks since King Simba adopted her, but since then she couldn't make any friends. Maybe she's worthless like her father said, well her birth father. All the cubs, minus Kula and Tama's daughters, think she's a nobody and doesn't deserve to the next ruler. The three month old cub was brought out of her thoughts by a soft nudge. The golden orange cub looked up to stare into the bright orange eyes of the king.

"Why aren't playing?"

Kiara turned away, she hasn't told Simba or anyone about the other cubs because she didn't want to seem as a burden. "I just don't feel like it..."

"Mmmhmm..." Simba thought about it before smiling. "Do you want to come with me?"

Of all the things to do, she loves spending time with Simba and Sarabi. Exspesically after a hard day with the other cubs. They repeatedly tells her what they think, it hurts because it reminds her of her father. But when she's with the king and former queen, she feels special. While the young princess was was once again lost in her head, she didn't realize that Simba stopped until she bumped into his leg. Simba smiled lovingly before looking up a young tree.

"Zazu!"

A royal blue hornbill poked his small head from leaves, up top. "Your highness!" the bird disappeared to return later with a dark purple hornbill hatching on his back. "Your highness. My only, hatching, my son Zahra."

Kiara watched the tiny dark purple bird hop over to her. His dark green eyes full of curiosity. She giggled when Zahra jumped on his head. "He's cute."

Simba looked at her proudly before looking at Zazu. "It seems the future queen has picked her new majordomo."

Simba and Zazu watched the two interact before the golden orange cub yawned, her young eyes becoming heavy. Simba quickly bid his majordomo farewell before picking Kiara up and trotted off towards Priderock as the sun began to set.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Thanks for the faves and follows.**

The sun had risen over the highest mountain in the Pridelands. As her golden rays illuminated the kingdom, three cubs made there way up Priderock. They made their wayin the main den and over to the rised platform where the princess laid sound asleep.

"Tell me why we are doing this again?" a light tanned cub asked, her light tanned fur tuff on her head bristled from the calm breeze that entered the den as her electric blue eyes held uncertainty.

A light golden cub rolled her brown eyes. "Tani', you know why. They can't win."

Once the three cubs were sitting by the sleeping princess, they looked from one another with questioning eyes. A pale beige cub sighed when she noticed that the other two wasn't going to make the move. She lightly put a light beige color paw on the younger cub's shoulder and gave a slight push. Kiara moaned and turned before blinking her dark orange eyes open. When she seen three pairs of eyes looking at her, she sat up with a sharp gasp.

"Hey. It's okay, we're here to be friends."

The golden orange cub frowned at the light golden cub. "Why now, Alyssa? You and Vitani have known I was being bullied and now you want to be my friends."

"Don't take it personal, Kiara. I'm a outcast as well, but things need to change. Nuka and Uzuri needs to know that that can't control everyone. You're going to be queen, show them who's boss."

Kiara thought about it but that is not her. One of the reasons why her father tried to kill her. She was weak, she couldn't be the heartless princess her father wanted. She couldn't throw her title around and force everyone to do what she wants them to do. Her mother told her that her grandfather was like that, a tyrant. A small clearing of a throat caused her to look at Furaha.

The pale beige cub noticed that the princess was looking sad, and a bit guilty. "My mom wants you to join the lessons. You will be having your solo hunt when you're a year."

Kiara nodded, she wanted to hunt. It's the least she could do to show how thankful she was of Simba taking her in. With a streach, Kiara stood and followed the others down Priderock towards the hunting fields.

-O-

A light grey teen lioness sunk away from the hunting lessons, that the former queen of the Pridelands was in charge of. Well, her sister, Nanaada. Sarabi was with that useless, pathetic Kiara. She didn't understand the king, why adopt when he a blood related heir. That is why she was heading towards the old den of the former, now deceased King Scar. As the light grey teen entered the old den her light blue eyes landed on a rich brown teen lion chewing on a zebra bone. Feeling that he's no longer alone, the young male stopped chewing on the bone and pushed it away before moving his blood red eyes up.

" Well..?"

Uzuri sighed before sitting with her tail wrapped around her pale grey colour paws. "Alyssa and Vitani joined with Furaha and Kiara. Many don't see a issue with Kiara but a quite few do. What about you?"

Nuka growled, swiping the bone, sending it against a wall. "My mother refused to see reason. My father is on board and so far so is my brother. My grandfather shall be avenged and I shall rule in his name."

Uzuri smiled with love pouring from her eyes. "Sahil is someone I want to keep my eyes on. I don't trust him."

Nuka was about to respond when a roar was heard. The two teens shared a look before leaving the den to see what was going on.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Sorry for the late update, here's the next chapter. Enjoy.**

Simba had made it to priderock after his kingly rounds when a roar halted his movements. He turned his head as his ears twichted, the sound of apporching paws caused the golden lion to turn back to the slope. Where his cousin and aunt stood.

"Simba, what's going on?"

The young king looked at his aunt. "Someone is asking permission to enter."

Naanda frowned at her nephew. "Don't go alone. Take Nuka and Kuzma." the light beige lioness was referring to her teenage grandson and her son in law.

Simba shook his head before turning. "I'm not sure if this visitor is friendly or not. I wouldn't put Nuka in a dangerous situation."

"How noble."

Simba looked from his cousin and aunt to see a bulky auburn brown furred lion, his dark brown, almost black mane whipped gently in the calm breeze that blew by. "Kuzma? You know I wouldn't put your son in danger."

Kuzma chuckled before glaring at the golden lion. "That's not what I'm talking about. But enough, let's go greet our guest."

Simba looked back at Zira and his aunt, Naanda was already heading for the den. The golden king inhaled and exhaled before trotting off with Kuzma following. The two traveled towards the end of the eastren boarder in silence. Simba sighed, the silence was eating him alive but he didn't have to go through it too long as the visitor came into view.

"Simba, it's great to see you!" smiled a dull brown lion, his dark orange eyes bright.

Kuzma growled, his emarald green eyes narrowed. "That's King Simba to you, rogue!"

"I'm not a rogue." the dull brown lion frowned.

Simba was quiet, trying to figure the lion out when his orange eyes widen. "Chumvi is welcome here, Kuzma." he turned a smile towards the lion at the border. "Chumvi, what brings you here?"

Chumvi sighed before looking up from the grassy ground. "Things are not well in the Mountain Kingdom."

Simba frowned, he thought that his friends in the Mountain region were doing alright. He didn't think there would be anything wrong, anytime soon anyway. Simba shook his head before looking at the slightly older male. "What's wrong?"

Chumvi wanted to tell what's going on but he couldn't. "It's nothing to be concern of. Besides there's a princess I have to meet."

Simba stared at his friend before looking at Kuzma who glared at Chumvi with a suspicious look. "Well let's get back."

Chumvi nodded before trotting after his cubhood friend with the odd auburn brown lion following.

-O-

"Mooom. I seriously don't know why you pulled me out of the lessons."

Kula sighed before looking at her light golden daughter. "Alyssa, your father is here and I don't know how long he'll be. Since he's a prince of another kingdom. I never knew my father...I don't want the same for you."

Alyssa was disappointed that she couldn't finish the lesson but she didn't expect the reason to be her father, that she never thought about. She thought that her father was dead and that's why he wasn't around. Never thought that she was a princess. Kula sighed, she wish things could of been different. Where they wasn't confusing for her daughter. The light brown lioness continued walking when a farmilar gruff voice called out to her.

"Chumvi." Kula smiled before walking over to the dull brown lion and nuzzled into his dark brown, almost black mane.

Simba smiled lightly, he wish he'll find love like that. He sighed before turning to head to the hunting field. He wanted to see how Kiara was doing during her first lesson. Kuzma growled before heading towards the cave behind priderock to bump into his son and his girlfriend.

"Dad, what's going on?" Nuka asked as he and Uzuri stopped in front of the older lion.

"Visitor from the Mountain Kingdom. How is the recruiting going?"

Nuka sighed before shaking his head. "Everyone loves Simba. He's choice for heir doesn't mean anything to them. But there are some who were my grandfather's followers and there's Alyanna. She would do anything to avenged Scar."

"Hummm. Where's Alyanna now?"

The rich brown teen shrugged. "Probably trying to find followers. She's really bent on taking out Simba."

Kuzma nodded before turning to head back to priderock. "Let's go. I'm supposed to watch your brother while your mother leads the evening hunt."

Nuka nodded before he and the light grey teen followed the auburn brown lion towards Priderock.


End file.
